Campus SaVE Act (SaVE)

The Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act, or Campus SaVE Act (SaVE), is a 2013 amendment to the federal Jeanne Clery Act. SaVE was designed by advocates along with victims/survivors and championed by a bi-partisan coalition in Congress as a companion to Title IX that will help bolster the response to and prevention of sexual violence in higher education. President Obama signed the measure into law as part of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 on March 7, 2013.

What is the “SaVE Act”

This means Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE)

It expands the 1992 sexual violence reporting and policy

Became law March 2013, the Campus SaVE Act has four central components:

Identify the institution’s Campus Security Authority personnel

Create a Campus Sexual Assault Victim Bill of Rights

Expand sexual crime reporting on campus

Ensure the college has standard operating procedures for handling incidents of sexual violence

Campus Sexual Assault Victim Bill of Rights

Victims of sexual assault will have the right to the following:

Reasonable changes to the academic and living situations

Referrals to counseling, assistance in notifying law enforcement

Same opportunity as accused to have others present at disciplinary hearing

Unconditional notification of outcomes of hearing, sanctions and terms of sanctions in place

Opportunities and assistance to speak (or choose not to speak) to anyone regarding the outcome

Name and identifying information kept confidential (FERPA)

Campus SaVE: Violence Against Women Act (Sect. 304): Crime Statistics

The SaVE Act adds the following offenses to the list of criminal offense for which statistics must be reported:

Domestic violence

Dating violence

Sexual assault

Stalking

A student or employee who reports to an institution of higher education that she/he has been a victim of these crimes, whether it has occurred on or off-campus, shall be provided with a written explanation of his or her rights and options.

Domestic violence means abuse committed against an adult or a minor who is a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant, or person with whom the suspect has had a child or is having or has had a dating or engagement relationship. For purposes of this subdivision, “cohabitant” means two unrelated adult persons living together for a substantial period of time, resulting in some permanency of relationship. Factors that may determine whether persons are cohabiting include, but are not limited to:

Sexual relations between the parties while sharing the same living quarters

Sharing of income or expenses

Joint use or ownership of property

Whether the parties hold themselves out as husband and wife

The continuity of the relationship

The length of the relationship

(For complete information see California Penal Code Section 13700)

Dating Violence

Dating violence includes any abuse, mistreatment, or sexual contact without consent at any stage of a dating relationship.

For resources and references please refer to the following:

Title 4 Protective Orders and Family Violence Code

A Guide to Confidentiality and Reporting Laws in California

Stalking

Any person who willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follows or harasses another person and who makes a credible threat with the intent to place that person in reasonable fear for his or her safety, of his or her immediate family.

The Elements of Stalking:

A person willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly followed or harassed another person

That person following or harassing made a credible threat

The person who made the threat did so with the specific intent to place the other person in reasonable fear for his or her safety or the safety of the immediate family of such person(s)

For more info see California Penal Code 646.9

What happens when you report a crime to our police on campus?

Campus police will write a report and inform the proper on-and off-campus authorities, including the Title IX Administrator in cases of sexual assault

The police will investigate this and they will cooperate with the local police, District attorney, and other appropriate agencies

If you are a current student at Southwestern College, the police will report it to the Dean of Student Services

If another student is involved, the Dean will follow appropriate disciplinary procedures

If it involves a staff member or faculty, Human Resources will handle the case

Dean of Student Services will need to meet with you and obtain your statement. The Dean will work with the District Police to investigate the reported crime

Dean of Student Services will provide you information about appropriate support services and resources

You will be highly encouraged to reach out to the College’s Health Services professional staff

The Health Services staff will follow up and ask to meet with you.

Disciplinary procedures

You have the right to know that your case will be handled appropriately. This means other off–and on-campus authorities may be involved.

The District/college is required to ensure that disciplinary procedures for such cases must clearly state that the proceedings will:

Be conducted by officials who receive annual training on the issues related to: